Display case structure



1940- s. BLOOMFIELD DISPLAY CASE STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 25. 1938 Jamaal filoomfzeld INVENTOR. 5/

BY %M 75 ATTORNZ Patented Oct. 15, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

A principalobject of the present invention is the provision of an improved display case struc ture of a type having a frame with glass side walls, the frame being adapted for mounting 5 either fiush or in raised position on a surface such as a counter or the like.

Another important object is the provision in a show case or display case structure of glass side panels each having a beaded or bulb edge and so mounted in a casting frame that the beaded or bulb edge of one panel will overlie the edgeof an adjoining panel to protect the latter edge, the beaded edges themselves providing protection against chipping and similar injury. I

A further object is the provision in a device of the class described of a frame structure defining a case with open sides and grooves at the margins of said slides, there being glass side wall panels fitted into said grooves in the particular manner hereinafter specified.

A still further object is the provision of sealing means for glass panels fitted into grooves in a frame structure, said sealing means including a fabric or shock-absorbing tape with an adhesive tape, coated on both sides, folded around one of the longitudinal edges of the first-mentioned tape to provide a compositesealing tape which in turn is folded over the edges of the glass panels, the two tapes being adhesively joined and the composite tape adhering to the glass panels as well as to the grooved walls when the panels are in assembled position.

, Other objects, novel aspects, advantages, and economies peculiar to the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds in view of the drawing, in which:

Fig, l is a perspective view of the improved display case structure;

- Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken in the direction of line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective detail of the panel mounting means;

Fig.4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2 through a corner of the case to illustrate the mounting of adjoining panels; while I I Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the composite sealing tape.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in Fig. 1 and includes a pair of end frames l 0 formed preferably by casting, the form of the frames in the present instance being substantially that of a trapezoid so that there are opposite parallel top and bottom rails II and I2 and opposite non- ;parallel sidebars l3 and l4. s

The bottom rails I2 of the frames are preferably provided with a flared flange [5 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is adapted to slide into a groove or track (not shown) formed in the heads IS on uprights H. the edge of a counter l8 and each have a lateral foot l9 resting on the top of the counter with portionsprojeoting below the top (not seen) and attached in any suitable manner to the rear side of the counter, so that the uprights are rigidly secured.

If desired, the case may be bodily slid from engagement with the uprights and fitted onto a relatively flat base member (not shown) having spaced grooves to receive the tracks 15, so that the case may be mounted flush with the top of the counter.

The walls of the display case are formed by a plurality of glass panels 20 arranged substantially edge to edge with opposite endwise portions fitted into the frames ID in the manner hereinafter described.

, An important feature of the panels 20 is the provision of enlarged bulb or beaded edges 2| along at least one of the lengthwise margins of each panel. This bulb edge formation or beading constitutes a protective means insuring exposed edge portions against chipping and similar injury, and the panels are so mounted in forming the side walls of the case that the beaded edges are exposed and arranged to protect the unbeaded edges of adjoining panels.

Since the end of the case may or may not be arranged to permit viewing the interior thereof, ordinary glass panels 22 (Fig. 3 particularly) are mounted in the open portions of the end frames ill, the latter being cast solid in the event that it is not necessary that the ends of the case be open or transparent. 1

The frame structures H) are provided with communicating tracks or grooves 23 extending around the inner surface portions 24 of each frame membet, the grooves 23 being adapted to receive the endwise edges of the glass panels constituting the main side walls of the case, as distinguished from I the end wall panels 22.

Each of the frame members It), moreover, is pro ,vided with a ledge 25 around the inner margin of the opening thereof and into which the end panels 22 are fitted.

The several panels are securely sealed in their engagement with the several frame members and to this end a novel sealing means has been provided in the form of an elongated fabric tape 3|] of a material, such as felt, which will act, as a I The uprights are adapted for mounting on sort of shock absorber. Fold-ed over one of the long edges of the inner tape 30 is a second or adhesive tape 3| which is provided with an adhesive on both of its surfaces so that it will adhere to the inner tape 33 and also present opposite adhesive surfaces on its outer sides. In this manner, there is formed what may be termed for convenience a composite adhesive sealing tape which is adapted to be folded around the edges of the panels before they are inserted into their respective grooves.

In the illustration of Fig. 3, the composite tapes have their long edges 32 turned up to form channel-like strips, it being more convenient to bring out the details of this arrangement in this manner, rather than by showing the tape already applied to the edge of the glass, as in the case of the panels 22, or as viewed in Fig. 4. It will be understood, of course, that the sealing tapes 32 may be formed up in substantially the channel shape shown in Fig. 3 prior to pressing the glass plates into their grooves, if this procedure should be preferred.

When the composite sealing tapes 32 have been applied to the endwise edgesof the main panels 20, the frame members I!) are pressed onto the respective ends of the panels, and the composite tape, of course, adheres to both the glass and the surface portions of the grooves, the fit being made relatively tight with the result that the frame members are secured to the panels and hold the latter in assembled relation with sufficient firmness to permit handling of the case structure prior to mounting the same on the counter.

The end wall plates 22 are also provided with sealing tapes 32, but as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 these latter plates are simply dropped into the inner frame portion of the end members, only two of the three surfaces of the tapes 32 adhering to the confronting surfaces of the ledges 25. Further to secure the end panels in position there are provided small angles or cleats 34 screwed to the ledge portions 25 so asto bear against the panels 22 and prevent withdrawal of the same from the ledge formations.

.The main side wall panels 20, as heretofore mentioned, are so mounted in the frame members that the beading portions 2| of one panel will overlie the edge portion2 Id of the adjoining panel and protect this edge portion fromglancing blows and other causes of injury.

A closure for the case may include a pair of end brackets (Fig. 2) each having an elongated groove 4! and each pivotally secured as at 42 to a slightly enlarged upper corner portion 43 in each of the brackets IO, there being a closure panel 44, similar to the panels 20, fitted firmly in the groove portions between the members 40. Each of the bracket members is provided with a handle portion 45 by means of which the door or closure may be raised into the dotted line position seen in Fig. 2.

It is important to observe that the lower edge portion 48 of the door panel is. beaded and overlies a similarly beaded edge .Zlb of the bottom panel, with the result that the lower edge portion of the closure and the confronting edge portion of the bottom are insured against injury due to chipping as a result of manipulation of the door and passing articles into and out of the case, this region being exposed to the greatest abuse in that respect.

The objects and advantages of the invention may be accomplished by modifications in the specifically described illustration without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as the same is defined in the appended claims, all equivalent arrangements with respect to form, location, and operation of the parts being expressly included in said claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A display case including a pair of oppositely positioned end members each having three angularly extended contiguous grooves corresponding to the three adjOining sides of a case structure, glass panels having opposite endwise edge portions each fitted into one of said grooves in the opposite 'end members whereby to define three sides of said case, each of said panels having a beaded edgeportion extended between said opposite end members thereof and positioned so as to overlie the confronting edge portion of an adjoining panel, and a fourth panel constituting a closure for a fourth and remianing side of said case and mounted in bracket means in the form of a pair of rigid bands fitted around opposite end portions of the fourth panel and pivotally supported by said end members, said closure panel having a beaded edge portion opposite its pivoted side and arranged to confront a similarly beaded edge formed on the confronting one of said three panels.

2. A display case including a pair of opposite end frames, three elongated glass panels each having opposite end portions fitted into supporting engagement with one .of said frames in such manner that said panels are disposed edge to edge to define the three sides of a casing enclosure, each of said panels having a longitudinal edge portion provided with an enlarged beading arranged to overlie the edge portion of the adjoining panelin protective relationship with the latter, the arrangement of such panels providing a fourth and open side for said case, and a fourth elongated closure panel having opposite end portions each fitted into an elongated band-shaped bracket pivotally attached at one of its ends to one of said frame members, whereby to dispose said panel in position to constitute afourth side for said case, said brackets being pivotable to move said closure panel into and out of closing relationship with respect to said fourth open side, the edge portion of .said closure panel opposite the side at which it is pivoted being provided with a beading disposed .opposite a confronting free edge portion of one of said firstmentioned panels which constitutes a bottom for the case.

3. In a display case, the combination with opposite end frames of glass panels arranged with longitudinally extensive edges overlapping corresponding edge portions of adjoining panels on three sides of a four-sided case structure, said end frames being provided with upperand lower horizontally extending grooves for receiving the top and bottom panels of the case and each being provided with'a third groove in a side thereof communicating with the top and bottom grooves and into which the opposite end portions of one of the side forming panels is fitted in edgewise relationship with the other panels aforesaid, one of the longitudinal edge portions of each of said panels being bulbous and overlying a plain edge portion of an adjoining panel, said grooves being enlarged near one end so that the bulbous edge portions of the corresponding panels will fit snugly therein. said case being provided with a hinged fourth side including a glass panel having a bulbous edge and mounted in a pair of spaced metal bands extending transversely around said panel and each pivotally mounted in said end frames beneath said top panel, said fourth panel having a bulbous edge portion opposite the pivotal mounting thereof adapted to confront the bulbous edge portion of the bottom panel, at least one of said bands being provided with a handle extension. p

4. In a glass display case including opposite 10 end frames supporting glass panels in positions defining three of four sides of said case, means providing a hinged fourth side for said case and including a glass panel having a pair of rigid metal bands fitted around the same near opposite end portions thereof, each of said bands at one end being pivotally mounted in one of said end frames and at least one of said bands having a handle extension thereon in the region remote from the pivotal mounting thereof.

SAMUEL BLOOMFIELD. 

